Lamp-socket switch



' wauw Juy 5 1927. D. E. GGRDON h LAMP SOCKET swncli Filed April 1,4. 1921 Patented J uly 5, 1927.

`UNrrru) STATESPATENT OFFICE.

DAVID D. GORDON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO `MUGILL`MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA.

LAUT-SOCKET SWITCH.

My invention relates to electric switches and has to do more particularly with improvements .on the well'known Levolier universal lever switch.

Heretofore in the said and other switches,

porcelain bases and caps have been in eneral use for mounting the switch mechanlsm, contacts and lamp receptacle. certaindisadvantages in that the parts are inaccurate, there being 'variations in the dimensions and shapes of the parts although coming from the same mold, due to the un-l even contraction and the warpingA of the parts in cooling and drying. Also, the

16 material is fragile and when cracked, hygroscopic.

One of the features of my invention is the provision of a simpler andy cheaper mounting base for the mechanism and parts which is preferably a flat insulation disc preferably of fibre, which is treated to render 1t non-hygroscopic. Also `by the novel arrangement and construction of the mounting plate and parts carried thereby, the elements are more easily assembled and more positively aligned.

Other features of .my invention will be p more particularly referred to in the ensuing speciication andclaim.

For a betterunderstanding of my invention reference is to be had to the accompany-- ing drawing in which Fig. 1 lis a transverse 4section through a lamp socket and switch of my invention; 85 Fi 2 is a transverse cross section along the line 2-2 0f Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view ofthe switch mechanism and some of the adjacent parts showing the actuating lever partly tilted and the switch mechanism in an open position;

Fig. 4 lis a view along the line 4.-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 ame; Fig. 6 is a detail of the lever connecting is a perspective view of the switch Fig. 7 is a. section along the line 7-7 ofy Fig. 1, showinglmore particularly'the method of mounting t ure a proper alignment of the parts;

. Fig. 8 is a top view of the at insulation plate or base with the switch mechanism removed to show more particularly" the contact arrangement "5 Fig. a is a detail view of an insmaaon clip Porcelain-hasfient portion 25 which connects 'to the contact e contacts on the base'to sewhich spans the switch frame to insulate the switch arm from the frame and also revent binding ofthe intermediate bodily oating operating member; and

Fig. 10 is a view of a portion of the frame and several of the parts to show a function of the said insulation clip of Fig. 9.

Referring now more in detail tothe device illustrated, it comprises a flat insulation base or disc 12 having a lamp base screw threaded shell 13 and center contact 14 secured to one side of the base. The center contact 14 is in general of the universal resilient construction as shown in Fig. 7, being fastened to the base by an eyelet 15 vwhich passes through the contactl and the base, being turned over its end in a counterbore in vthe'o posite face of the base so as to -be situated eneath the surface thereof.' This center contact 14 has a switch contact extension 16 which passes through a hole 17 in the face 4and rests under tension against an aligning face 18 so as to automatically align itself with the disc thereby also with the switch mechanism and particularly the contact making armthereof.

Also, in order to more positively align the center contact with the disc or base, I indentv it at 19 as shown in Fig. 7, the indented portion setting in the slot 20 thereby not only automatically aligning itself 'but also reventing displacement or turning thereof? A second stationary switch contact 21 is also carried by the'base plate 12, said contact 21 being of a resilient metal and having a portion 22 for securingit to the base 12, bemg clamped between the terminal binding plost 23 and the base 12 bya screw 24 whic threads into the member 23.

Extending from the portion 22 is a resilend 21 and rests under tension against an aligning face 26 in a slot in the base 1 2. The fastening portion 22 of the member is depressed across its face like the center contact 14 and rests in a recess in the face of the 10 base 12 so as to be maintained securely in place. It will thus be seen that by means ofthe aligning depressions or lugs upon the two contact elements and the cooperating depressions in the base 12, together with the l. aligning faces 418 and 26 whichare engaged by the two contacts 16--21, these two contacts may be easily and readily secured to the base and automatically align themselves under tension so as to -be properly spacede o apart and in proper position to receive the switch contact arm.

' heretofore used porcelain bases which varied and thus made it difficult to assemble parts thereon, and also required careful adjustment of the parts after being secured in place.

[is the material for this base l preferably employ fibre. Plain commercial fibre, however, has been found objectionable due to thewarping which will occur. l have `found, however, that by 'treating the tibre so as to render it sufficiently non-hygroscopic that it is acceptable as a base for the mounting of the switch mechanism and other parts, and to this end treat the libre by applying preferably two coats of a water-proofvarnish and baking the same after each coat at a temperture sufficiently low to prevent burning 'the varnish or the fibre, but sufficiently high to quickly dry the varnish.

The switch mechanism preferably employed in connection with my invention is ot the well known universal lever type having a reciprocating snap action contact arm controlled by a manually, operated universal lever. rlChis mechanism includes a box-like trame, shown in Fig. in detail, having a base or bottom side 31 and opposite side 32. Side walls 33-34 are also provided having laterally extending pivot studs 35 which carry insulating sleeves 36 (Fig. 2) and support a ll-shaped contact, arm 37 having :forked ends which embrace the pivot sleeves 36. The contact arm is insulated at its pivot point by means of the bushing 3G and in order to insulate it from the side walls 33-34 of the frame I provide ak U- shaped insulating member 47 (Fig. 9) which embraces the frame and is placed over the pivot lugs 35 so as to be positioned between the contact arm and frame sides. This insulating yoke also has an extension 48 which serves to prevent binding of the intermediate operating member 39 between the upper and lower sides of the frame as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

In order to properly osition the frame on the base 12, I prefera ly provide one or more lugs 49 on the bottom 31 which enter corresponding depressions in the base. With the frame in position on the base 12, the screws 51 are inserted through the openings 52 in the ears 53 whereupon the frame is held in proper alignment on the base.

The contact arm 37 has alternate positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, Fig. 1 showing the Closed position of the switch and Fig. 3 the open position. The contact arm 37 is connected with an operating spring 38 which hooks through an insulation clip 39 that extends through a slot in the end of the contact arm. r)The other end of spring 38 hooks over the yoke portion of the intermediate bodily :lioating operating member 39. which member has alternate pivotally hooked extensions 40 adapted to hook over the edges of the upper and lower sides 32-31 of the frame. rlhis member 39 is U-shaped and has laterally extending pivot studs 4l which engage in the holes in the end of the U- shaped pull member 42 so as to be pivotally 'operated by this member 42 when the lever 43 is actuated.

Lever 43 is connected to the pull member 42 by means ot the til-shaped spring clip 44 which hooks through a hole in the connecting link 45 (Fig. 3) and which link passes through a hole in the yoke end of the pull member 42 and is held by the shouldered head as indicated. Lever 43 rests upon a seat formed by the disc 46 so that the lever may be tilted in any direction and also pulled straight out.

Now as to the operation ot the device illustrated and assuming the switch is in its closed position as shown in Fig. 1, upon operation of4 the lever 43 the link 42 is pulled toward the left thereby rotating member 39 about its upper pivot 4G and 'thus movi-ng the left or yoke end ci member 39 upwardly. rlhis movement shifts the position of the lett end ot operating s ring 38 and as soon as it reaches a position beyond the dead center, that is above a line extending from the axis of the contact arm 37 to the point of spring fastening on clip 39, contact arm 37 suddenly snaps upwardly away from the stationary contacts 16-21.

During this operation of the mechanism and when the contact arm 37 has snapped into its upward position as indicated in Fig. 3, upon releasing the lever 43 spring 38 restores the lever, the intermediate operating member 39 and link 42 to the position indiated in Fig. 3 which is alternate to that in ith the parts shown in open position as in Fig. 3 an actuation of the lever 43, which is shown slightly tilted in Fig. 3, results in an actuation of the parts to snap the switch arm downwardly into its closed position,

moving from that shown in Fig. 3 to the position'shown in Fig. 1. Likewise continued successive actuations of the lever will effect successive alternate operations of the switch mechanism.

It sometimes happens that due to a sticking of the switch arm in the stationary contaets 16-21, or perhaps due to an' improper adjustment of the parts, an excessive pull uponthe mechanism when in the position indieated in Fig. 1 is necessary to effect an actuation of the parts. In such case the in. termediate member 39 is drawn rearwardlly under undue strain in order to place additional tension on the spring 38 to etl'eet an operation of the switch arm. Or it sometimes happened heretofore that due to such unusual operation as just referred to, intermediate member 39 would bind or stick momentarily between the upper and lower walls of the frame.

Now in order io eliminate this trouble and also effect a more positive operation of the partsl have provided `the resilient protecting apron 48 which, in the undue operations pointed out above, is engaged by the rear end of the intermediate member as shown in Fig. 10 thereby preventing a 'binding or sticking thereof and also allowing the add-itional movement of member 39 necessary to give additional tension to spring 38 without a sticking of the parts.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by. United States Letters Patent is:

In an electric switch having a box frame, a U-shaped arm pivotally straddling said frame and a. reciprocable oating operating member .for moving said arm movable between opposite sides of said frame; an insulating yoke embracing said frame and insulat'mg the arm fromthe frame, and having a sto-p for limiting the movement of said operating member thereon.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 12th day of March A. D., 1921.

DAVID D. GORDON. 

